You don’t have to put your pet rabbit or rodent in quarantine if it travels from an EU country and it’s been living there for at least 4 months.

Stopover without going through customs

You don’t have to put your pet cat, dog or ferret in quarantine if both the following apply:

it arrives and leaves within 48 hours

it stays in a holding facility at the port or airport

You must arrange this with your travel agent or transport company before your pet travels.

You must book an authorised quarantine carrier to transport your cat, dog or ferret if it arrives and leaves from a different port or airport. This is known as ‘transiting’. The carrier can apply for a transit licence on your behalf.

If your cat, dog or ferret can’t stay in a holding facility, or it will be in the country for more than 48 hours, you must do one of the following:

Book a quarantine carrier and premises

The carrier will meet your pet at the port or airport, get permission for it to enter the country, and transport it to the quarantine premises.

You must not transport your pet to the quarantine premises yourself.

You must arrange for your pet to be collected by a carrier at Eurotunnel Calais if it will arrive in England at Eurotunnel Folkestone.

Get a landing licence and boarding document

After you’ve booked a quarantine carrier and premises, you must ask the premises for an ‘Application for a Licence to Land an Animal for Detention in Quarantine’ form. You must fill in part A, then send the form to the quarantine premises.

The quarantine premises or APHA will send you or your representative a landing licence, boarding document and rabies cargo sticker, which you must show to the transport company when your pet travels.

Cost of quarantine

The cost of quarantine depends on the carrier and premises you choose.

You’re responsible for paying all quarantine costs.

Release from quarantine

Your cat, dog or ferret can only be released from quarantine when one of the following applies: